The One With Joey's Resolution
by Friendsfan-addict06
Summary: It's a cold December 31, 2013, in the city of New York. The streets are all lit up and the residents of the city are waiting for the clock to strike 12 so the new year can begin. Joey is now 46 years old and is still an eligible bachelor, walking around the streets of Time Square, and decides that this will be the year when he finally finds the 'one'.
1. Happy New Years!

It's a cold December 31st in the city of New York. The streets are all lit up and the residents of the city are waiting for the clock to strike twelve so the new year can begin. Joey is now 46 years old and is still an eligible bachelor, walking around the streets of Time Square.

Ring! Ring! Ring! "Hello?"

"Hey Joey it's Chandler, Monica and the twins and we just wanted to wish you a happy New Years!" Chandler said on the other line.

"Thanks you guys. I hope 2014 will be a great year for you and your family," said Joey.

"Thanks man, and we also hope that you have an eventful new year. So what are your plans before 2014 arrives? Wanna come over and light some sparklers with us?"

"I would love too, but there's so much commotion over in Time Square that I don't think I will be able to show up until after the ball drops, y'know?"

"Yeah, no worries, but if you change your mind, then come over. Alright?"

"Definitely."

"Alright, bye Joe and see ya next year." Chandler joked.

Joey laughed. "Alright man see ya next year." Joey ended the call on his _IPhone_.

Joey passed by a group of women dancing to a nearby stereo on their stoop.

"Hey!" Called out one of the ladies.

Joey turned around to see who it was. Only to find out that the woman calling out to him was a complete stranger.

"Hi? Do I know you?" Joey wondered.

"Yeah right, that'd be a story to tell my friends. Hey you guys I'm best friends with Joey Tribbiani, Dr. Drake Ramoray in the flesh, and we just like totally had brunch the other day." The Lady joked.

Joey let out a chuckle. "Well you obviously know me, so I don't feel like I have to introduce myself. So, what's your name and how you doin'?"

The woman smiled. "I'm Clare," the woman shook Joey's hand, "It's nice to finally meet you Mr. Tribbiani. I watch you all the time on _Days of Our Lives_ if that doesn't sound weird.

"Oh you're a fan of the show? So uh did you like want an autograph or a picture or something?" Joey asked.

"No I was actually hoping that you would join me and my friends for some snacks, dancing, and beer."

"Oh I would love too." Joey smiled.

"Awesome." Clare blushed. "So care to join me for some dancing before the ball drops?"

"Yeah I'd enjoy that." Joey continued to smile. He didn't know what it was about Clare, but something about her just made him feel amazing. So amazing that he couldn't stop smiling at her. He loved watching her dance next to him, and didn't want the music to end. "So, this isn't just some creepy fangirl plan you and your friends concocted to kidnap me, right?" Joey kidded.

"Damn it, you saw right through our plans! Maybe we can compromise for a New Year's kiss instead?"

"I think I can compromise. So what time is it?" Joey yelled over the music.

"5 till midnight!" Clare yelled back. "Wanna go back outside to see the ball drop?"

"Yeah, sure." Joey couldn't stop smiling, and couldn't wait till midnight to kiss Clare, a woman he's never met before, yet he felt like if he had to, he would give anything to be with her. Clare grabbed onto Joey's arm as they walked down the sidewalk of Times Square, holding him tight. Joey could feel her shivering from the cold New York air. "Are you cold?"

"Can you tell? Are my lips that blue?" Clare joked.

Joey bit the bottom of his lip, as if it would prevent him from leaning in to kiss her before the countdown to the new year. Joey gulped. "No they're perfect." Joey grinned. "But here take my jacket."

"Oh, I couldn't."

"No, really it's no trouble really." Joey took off his jacket to prove his point. "See?" Joey bit down harder onto his lip, to keep himself from shivering.

"Alright if you say so." Clare turned around and Joey helped her put on his coat.

"Better?"

"A lot better." Clare smiled at him and pointed over to the crown of people huddled around in Times Square to watch the ball drop. "Look they're getting ready to countdown the new year let's go." Joey and Clare rushed over to the crowd of people and counted down the new year.

"10..9.." Clare and Joey suddenly grew closer to each other. "8..7..6.." Clare wrapped her arms around Joey's neck. "5..4..3.." Joey drew her in closer, nearly closing the gap between them. "2..1.." Just then, the gap between them started to close and his lips were pressed against hers. Her lips were so soft and luscious like and he didn't want to pull away for a second, but as the roars of the crowd chanting a happy new year lowered, her lips began to pull away from his. Joey just gave her a befuddled stare and had no idea what he should say.

Clare gazed back into Joey's eyes. "So, um.. I don't live to far from here. Do you want to walk me home?"

Joey snapped out of his daze, and cleared his throat. "Yeah, yeah.. of course. I would.. I would love to walk you home." Joey cleared his throat again.

"Alright." Clare smiled and grabbed onto Joey's arm again and he walked her home.

After walking down a block, Joey and Clare had finally arrived at her doorstep.

"Would you like to come inside?" Clare asked, after she unlocked her apartment door and handed Joey his coat back.

Joey knew he wanted to come inside of Clare's apartment and finish the kiss that they had started down in Times Square. But he also knew that he had started to care deeply for Clare, a woman he had just met a couple of hours ago and he still didn't know what it was about her that made him tick, but he wasn't ready to find out and ruin it after only one night. So instead, Joey decided to make it one of his New Year's resolutions to actually get to know women before he slept with them, and to put an end to his many one night stands.

"I don't think that's a really good idea." Joey responded.

"Oh. Okay. Well, goodnight Joey. It was nice to finally meet you in person." Clare began to close her apartment door.

"Clare wait!" Joey yelled out.

"Yes?"

"Well Clare, I just wanted to tell you that I really did have a great time, actually wonderful time tonight and that I was hoping that we could have lunch tomorrow?"

"Yeah actually I would rather enjoy that." Clare smiled, and was excited to find out that Joey Tribbiani was actually interested in more than what was inside her pants.

"So can I pick you up here around noon-ish?"

"Yeah that works for me."

Joey smiled. "Alright. Well then, goodnight Clare."

"Goodnight Joey." Clare gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and went back inside her apartment.


	2. The Plan

It's the thirtieth of January, Joey has been dating Clare for nearly a month and he still hasn't introduced her to his friends, whom he is sitting with at _Central Perk_, hoping that they won't ask him about her yet.

"Wow, can you guys believe that _Central Perk _has been around for practically twenty years now?" Pondered Ross.

"Yeah, and I don't understand how it's still here if they are only making what I used to make when I worked here." Rachel smirked as she took a sip of her coffee.

Monica nodded in agreement, but was getting tired of all the 'small talk' going on, and decided to ask the question that everybody else probably had on their minds. "So Joey, when are we going to meet this New Year's kiss 'mystery girl'?"

Joey knew that one day he'd have to bring up this conversation, and was glad that Monica put the subject out there. "Soon I hope, She's just been really busy with work this past month."

"Oh what does she do for a living?" Monica wondered.

"Well like most of us, breathe." Chandler joked.

Suddenly, everybody just stared at Chandler as he turned red from laughing at his own joke, which made him hide behind his magazine.

"She's actually a chef for her own cooking company. That's why she's always busy at her convention things." Joey explained.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait. What's Clare's last name again?" Monica asked.

"Edwards."

"As in Edwards' Edibles?" Monica exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's actually the name of her company."

"Oh my God! Joey you have to introduce her to us already! I am a huge fan of hers!"

"Well if you help me figure out what to get her for our one month anniversary, then I can probably persuade her to meet my friends sooner." Joey hinted.

"Ooh, I know!" Monica yelled. "We should all go on a couples date!"

"What?"

"Y'know, you and Clare, Ross and Rachel, Mike and Phoebe, and Chan and I. That way we all get to meet her and feel all special and what not." Monica explained.

"Yeah, yeah, okay. Well our anniversary is tomorrow, so will you all be able to make it?"

"Ooh actually, Rachel and I can't do anything tomorrow night. We promised Emma that we'd take her back to school shopping for the new semester." Commented Ross.

"Dude! Come on! The girl is almost twelve, just let her go to the mall with her friends or something!" Joey suggested.

"Uh, I dunno Joe, what if she gets into trouble on the streets or something?" Ross worried.

"Well Honey, we could just have Ben take her. He is eighteen now." Rachel brought up.

"Yeah, that's true, and it'd be good for her to spend some time with her older brother before he goes off to college. Alright Joe, count us in."

"Alright. So, Phoebe are you and Mike good for tomorrow night?" Joey wondered.

Phoebe quickly pulls out her _IPhone _to see if she's free tomorrow night. "Yes, that actually works out perfectly, because Mike and I go back on tour next Saturday."

"Oh cool Pheebs, where are you guys going this time?" Asked Rachel.

"Well if you have to know, the city of Los Angeles gets to benefit from the musical stylings of husband and wife." Phoebe replied.

"Hey that's where I went to shoot my _Days of Our Lives _movie. They have the best Mexican food there.." Joey pondered as he licked his lips and thought about that delightful carne asada burrito he had last year.

"Ooh, ooh, ooh!" Phoebe exclaimed.

"Yes, Pheebs?" Chandler wondered.

"We should go to that new Taco Bell_ they opened up down the street!" _

"That sounds great and all Phoebe, but I think I'd rather take Clare out somewhere more romantic." Joey clarified.

"You can take her down to my restaurant if you want Joe." Monica suggested.

"Oh, did you finish remodeling it already?" Joey asked.

"Yeah, the grand opening is next week on February seventh. So, it'd be cool to see what you guys think of the place before I reopen it."

"Alright, that sounds great. Anyways, I'll see you guys tomorrow, I'm going to go pick up Clare and tell her about our big plans."

"Oh wait Joey!" Chandler called out.

Joey turned around. "Yeah?"

"Maybe you shouldn't tell her about our plans?"

"What do you mean man?"

"What I mean is that, maybe it'd be a bit more romantic if you didn't tell her where you guys were going tomorrow night. Y'know, surprise her and all that." Chandler explained.

"Oh right! Thanks man!" Said Joey, as he walked over and patted his best friend on the back. "Man, I can't believe today was actually the day where I take relationship advice from you. Go figure." Joey smirked as he waved goodbye to his friends and took off.

Chandler grinned and waved back, waiting for Joey to leave. Then suddenly, Chandler quickly turned around and faced his friends. "Okay, what was that about?"

"I'm sorry to tell you this Honey, but he does have a point." Monica pointed out.

Chandler quickly pointed his finger at her, and took a deep breath. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"Awe come here Sweetie." Consoled Monica, walking towards Chandler to give him a quick embrace. "Anyways, we also have to get out of here and find a babysitter for tomorrow night."

"Wait, how old are Jack and Erica again? Nine, right?" Questioned Ross.

"Yeah."

"Well if you want we can get Ben to babysit them as well."

"Oh yeah that'd be fun, they'd get to spend some time with their cousins. What do you think Chandler?"

"Yeah, that sounds good with me. Anyways, see you guys tomorrow night!"

"Alright bye you guys." Ross and Rachel waved goodbye as Chandler and Monica departed.

After that, Phoebe, Ross and Rachel said their goodbyes as well and carried on with the rest of the day.


End file.
